1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transfer apparatus for continuously transferring at high speed a great number of objects to be processed, for example, substantially spherical objects susceptible to damage, such as eggs, fruits or vegetables. More specifically, the present invention relates to a transfer apparatus of the character wherein objects to be processed are transferred from a delivery conveyor having an array or a plurality of rows of individual receiving seats for the objects to be processed to the next or secondary conveyor such as a selection conveyor having a transfer section which receives the objects to be processed from the delivery conveyor and transfer them in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the delivery conveyor, whereby the objects to be processed can be continuously processed in large quantity at high processing rate.
2. Discussion of the Background
In order to carry out selection and weighing of objects susceptible to damage and to carry out other various processing of objects, such as breaking of eggs, it was a well known practice to manually put objects to be processed on supporting stands carried by a conveyor, respectively.
As an alternative, Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 53-13552 published May 11, 1978 discloses an apparatus in which objects to be processed are transferred from a delivery conveyor to a secondary conveyor such as weighing means through cup-shaped members (receiving stands) mounted on and along a rod which can be rotated about its longitudinal axis and which is disposed perpendicularly to the direction of movement of the delivery conveyor, which has a plurality of rows each consisting of a plurality of individual object receiving seats.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-59089 published Dec. 15, 1986 discloses an apparatus in which an egg transfer device is disposed perpendicular to the direction of movement of an egg delivery conveyor and in parallel with a secondary conveyor so as to move in the same direction and at the same speed as the secondary conveyor.
According to the first mentioned practice in which the objects to be processed are manually handled, the objects are seldom damaged, but the handling efficiency is extremely low so that this practice is not adapted to rapid handling of a large quantity of objects.
According to the transfer apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-13552, in order to process continuously the objects at high processing rate, transfer of each object must be carried out within a limited time interval, but since the cup-shaped members must be moved reciprocally between two positions, the reciprocal movement of the transfer device for the transfer of the objects must be made at a considerably high speed. As a result, during the receipt and transfer of the objects to be processed, the posture of each object becomes unstable and the objects tend to receive impacts so that this transfer apparatus is also not adapted for processing the objects at high speed.
According to the transfer apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-59089, the transfer device moves in parallel with the secondary conveyor at the same speed as the latter so that smooth transfer of the objects to be processed to the secondary conveyor is ensured, but in the case of the receipt of the objects to be processed from the delivery conveyor, the objects are delivered to the transfer device which is moving relative to the delivery conveyor in the direction perpendicular to the direction of the movement of the transfer device so that the posture of the received objects inevitably become unstable. Therefore, positive and reliable transfer of the objects from the transfer device to the second conveyor is not ensured.